What could Sergei Samsonov bring to the San Jose Sharks?

The San Jose Sharks need to get their forward positions situated. With the pending lockout potentially eating into the season, they may have been granted some extra time but the options are far and few between for what they need. Furthermore, it has been reported by several sources that the Sharks are one of the teams willing to take a flyer on Sergei Samsonov. Samsonov did not play in the 2011-2012 season but at age 33 still should have plenty left in the tank if he was able to keep in shape.If completely fit and healthy, Samsonov should provide very similar play to Torrey Mitchell only in an upgraded fashion. Though he lacks Mitchell’s tenacity, Samsonov has good speed and better offensive instincts that make him a viable option for various spots in the lineup.

In his career, Samsonov has played 888 regular season games and registered 235 goals and 571 points. His last season in the NHL, which was split between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers, he scored 13 goals and had 40 points in 78 games.

At this point he’s probably best suited for a bottom six forward role, which is just fine for the Sharks seeing as that’s exactly what they need right now. He’s also capable of jumping onto the top two scoring lines in the unfortunate event that an injury should arise to one of the top-6 forwards.

Samsonov played several seasons with Joe Thornton in Boston and if the Sharks choose to balance the scoring out on multiple lines, that tandem could be given a long look.

At this point the options are thin for forward depth, especially for the specific kind of players the Sharks are going after. Trades are a possible route, but acquiring Samsonov may address their need while keeping the current assets in a Sharks’ uniform.